All PPLD facilities will close at 6 p.m. Wed., Nov. 21 and all day Thu., Nov. 22 for Thanksgiving.

Special Collections is currently closed for building improvements. The reopening date is TBD.

Colorado Springs City Directories: 1879 - 1922

Special Collections at the Pikes Peak Library District houses city directories for Colorado Springs published from 1879 to the present. The first city directory for Colorado Springs was compiled and published by W.H.H. Raper & Co. in 1879. Subsequent editions were published by S.N. Francis, the Out West Printing and Stationary Co., the Giles Directory Co., and R.L. Polk & Co., who continues to publish them today. The directories were published, roughly, every other year until 1900, when they began to be published annually.

City directories can provide valuable genealogical and historical information about people and the communities in which they lived. They list residents alphabetically by surname and usually indicate a person’s address, occupation and spouse’s name. Directories may also contain business listings and advertisements; a brief community description; information about local, state and national government; listings of schools and colleges, clubs, organizations, secret societies and churches. After 1900, in Colorado Springs, the directories also included a cross-reference index to street addresses. The Colorado Springs city directories also include listings for surrounding communities, such as Old Colorado City and Manitou.

The Colorado Springs city directories from 1879 through 1922 have been digitized, with the gracious help of dedicated volunteers from the Pikes Peak Genealogical Society, and are provided here in .pdf format. The text of the directories has been scanned with optical character recognition (OCR) software, so that they may be searched using a .pdf reader. The OCR process is not perfect, especially with older texts and fonts, so the directories should be browsed if a search does not turn up intended results. City directories published after 1922 may still be covered by U.S. copyright and are not included here. The originals, however, may be viewed in the Special Collections department of the Pikes Peak Library District. Later editions of the Colorado Springs city directories, up to 1963, can be found in the HeritageQuest database

By name is Bill. I work in the Special Collections Department (history) of the Pikes Peak Library District. We do have considerable resources within our department that would assist you in your search. We could speak on the telephone, if you like, or you could visit us and I could show you around and get you started. My telephone number is (719) 531-6333 x2255. If I'm not at my desk, please leave me a message and I'll return your call.

I found a hat that bears the name of Barnes Woods Company "trade with the boys" from Colorado Springs and I found your site very useful. It's like reaching into the past and bringing history to life with this one hat. The store appears in the directories starting in 1915 with a third name, Howe. In 1916 there is no mention of the store until 1917 - 1922 with the caption found in the hat. The one thing I'd like to find out is when the store closed. Thank you

Hello,
I've consulted the city directories and have found that the last entry for Barnes-Woods Clothing Co. was listed in the 1934 Polk City Directory. If you would like to inquire further, please feel free to contact me at tmorris@ppld.org and I will be happy to assist you.
Tim Morris

Hello Gloria,
my name is Tim Morris with the Special Collections department. We have a number of resources that can help you research the history of your home. Our staff would happy to speak with you over the phone or meet with you in person to assist with your questions. Feel free to call our department at 719-531-6333 ext. 2253 and we can get you started.

Disclaimer:
PPLD is not responsible for nor does it endorse the content of non-PPLD websites, programs, and events. Users should use critical judgment in relying on information found in these resources and determine what information is appropriate to their needs.